


What I Really Meant to Say

by hemingwaysgirl



Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017), The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types, The Avengers - Ambiguous Fandom
Genre: Angst, Angst and Humor, Depressed Tony Stark, Drama, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Everyone Needs A Hug, Feels, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Heavy Angst, I cried while writing this, I'm Sorry, Insecure Tony Stark, Iron Dad, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Peter Parker Angst, Peter Parker Feels, Plot Twists, Post-Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (Movie), Precious Peter Parker, Sad Peter Parker, Some Plot, Tony Being Tony, Tony Stark Acting as Peter Parker's Parental Figure, Tony Stark Angst, Tony Stark Feels, Tony Stark Has A Heart, Tony Stark Has Daddy Issues, Tony Stark Has Issues, Tony Stark Has Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Tony Stark Needs a Hug, With A Twist, also, spider son
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-09
Updated: 2018-10-09
Packaged: 2019-07-25 20:45:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 925
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16205339
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hemingwaysgirl/pseuds/hemingwaysgirl
Summary: The joy flooding Tony's heart overrode the fear churning in his stomach. He could do this. He could be there for this kid. He would learn from Howard's mistakes.He rose swiftly and walked nonchalantly over to his kid. He grabbed the back of his chair and rolled him backwards until they were in the kitchen area, grinning as the teen erupted in giggles.As soon as he steadied the chair, he ruffled his hair and moved to the side, yelling: “Dum-E, Pete's on fire!” The robot immediately appeared – fire-extinguisher in hand. He doused the still-laughing teen in white foam – chirping in determination as he sprayed the kid from head-to-toe.“Mr. Stark. Why?” Peter griped – amusement coloring his voice.“Think of it as a sort of initiation into the Stark family,” Tony replied – his eyes soft and wide with an undefinable emotion.





	What I Really Meant to Say

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this in a couple of hours, because I couldn't get this plot bunny out of my head. I hope you like it!
> 
> (Update on October 9th - I corrected a few minor errors and added a few details to the last part of the story to hopefully paint a better picture of the timeline.)

Peter Parker bounded into the workshop – his eyes alight with manic teenage excitement and infectious energy. He dropped his backpack carelessly by the door.

 

Tony rolled his eyes – his fond tone belying the display of annoyance. “Hey, kid. What's got you all hyped up? Too much coffee again?”

 

“Nah, I just... an idea came to me while we were discussing the flow of electric currents in AP Physics. I can't believe I never considered it before." He paused, gathering his thoughts. "Okay, I was thinking... What if I altered the properties of my web fluid and developed a new prototype that acts as a sort of electric conductor to overload certain weapons or stun the bad guys?”

 

“You mean like taser webbing?” Peter nodded. “It's definitely possible. Go for it, kid. If you need an assistant, let me know.”

 

“Thanks, Mr. Stark!” The teen pulled out a piece of paper with various formulas scribbled across the stark white surface and studied it before disappearing to the back of the lab. Dum-E passed him a pair of goggles once Peter returned with various ingredients and supplies. He grinned and patted the robot's claw in thanks.

 

“Peter, since it's Friday, you wanna spend the weekend here at the tower? I've got plenty of room, obviously. We can even watch that show you're always raving about – the one with those amnesiac fairy-tale characters.”

 

Peter huffed a laugh. “It's called 'Once Upon a Time.' And I like it because almost everyone toes the line between good and evil. And the villain isn't always as bad as he seems. When given the opportunity, he has the potential to change and ultimately become the hero of the story.”

 

Tony looked away from the intensity of Peter's gaze. “Sounds mushy.”

 

“Yep, you'll love it.” Peter slipped his goggles on, grinning cheekily. “Though, I know you'll pretend you don't.”

 

Tony smiled despite himself. “You're a brat.”

 

“Takes one to know one,” Peter sang impishly.

 

“Just for that remark I'm revoking your right to make pop culture references for 24 hours.”

 

“But daaaad...”

 

The joy flooding Tony's heart overrode the fear churning in his stomach. He could do this. He could be there for this kid. He would learn from Howard's mistakes.

 

He rose swiftly and walked nonchalantly over to ~~the~~ _**his**_ kid. He grabbed the back of his chair and rolled him backwards until they were in the kitchen area, grinning as the teen erupted in giggles.

 

As soon as he steadied the chair, he ruffled his hair and moved to the side, yelling: “Dum-E, Pete's on fire!” The robot immediately appeared – fire-extinguisher in hand. He doused the still-laughing teen in white foam – chirping in determination as he sprayed the kid from head-to-toe.

 

“Mr. Stark. Why?” Peter griped – amusement coloring his voice.

 

“Think of it as a sort of initiation into the Stark family,” Tony replied – his eyes soft and wide with an undefinable emotion.

 

“Huh?”

 

“Kid, I—I'd like to adopt you – officially. I talked to Aunt May, and she's okay with it. We would share custody of you – if that's something you want. I mean – you did call me da--”

 

Anything else he intended to say was cut off by an armful of clingy Peter. The kid was shaking with emotion as he wrapped his wiry arms around the engineer.

 

“So, is that a yes?”

 

Peter's sobs quickly transformed into hysterical chuckles. “Yes, that is a definite yes.”

 

 

***

 

Tony removed the BARF glasses with shaky hands and the memory blinked out of existence. If only it had happened that way. If only he had not allowed fear to dissuade him from doing what he knew in his heart was right. If only...

 

Pain laced down his left arm as he recalled what had actually occurred.

 

“ _But daaaad...”_

 

_Tony froze and turned a full circle in his chair – facing his cluttered workbench and turning his back on the spluttering teen. Anxiety curled in his gut._

 

“ _Get to work, kid,” he stated gruffly. He could feel the normally carefree atmosphere shift into a stifling state of uneasiness. And it was his fault._

 

“ _Sorry, Mr. Stark,” Peter whispered._

 

_Tony closed his eyes, taking slow, deliberate breaths. He was getting too close to the kid. Anyone who dared to love him suffered because of his impulsiveness and paranoia. He wouldn't let Peter get sucked into his insane mental battles. The kid needed to be around people who promised stability and safety._

 

_Starting now he would reestablish a few boundaries in order to keep the relationship professional – and to keep ~~his~~ **the** kid from becoming another victim of his madness._

 

“ _It's okay, kid. Ummm... maybe you should just go home once you're finished here. You can stay the weekend another time. I'm up to my neck in SI projects anyway. We wouldn't have much time to hang out.”_

 

“ _Sure, Mr. Stark. I understand.”_

 

_Peter didn't talk for the rest of the evening, and the silence sat like a heavy weight in the engineer's stomach._

 

***

 

On the following Sunday - the day before his world had crumbled into ash - Tony had dreamed he had a son. And weeks later, as he stood in the middle of their workshop - staring at the scattered evidence of his kid’s brilliance - he knew that it wasn't a dream at all. It was a glimpse of what he could have had – if he had made different choices.

 

And he would fix everything as soon as he and his teammates reversed The Snap.

 

Because he had a son. 

 

And his name was Peter Parker.

 

**Author's Note:**

> Leave a kudos and/or comment if your heart leads you to do so! Thanks for reading!


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